You are here: Home/Uncategorized/ The Columbia Restaurant Group Donates More Than $168,000 To More Than 100 Local Non-Profit Groups Throughout Florida With The 15th Annual Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest

The Columbia Restaurant Group Donates More Than $168,000 To More Than 100 Local Non-Profit Groups Throughout Florida With The 15th Annual Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 11, 2013 – The Columbia Restaurant Group donated more than $168,000 to more than 100 local non-profit organizations throughout Florida with the 15th annual Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest. Since the program began in 1998, the Columbia has given $1.5 million to non-profit organizations throughout Florida.

“We are proud to be able to contribute to the many worthy organizations that assist so many in our great State,” said Richard Gonzmart, 4th generation family member and president of the Columbia Restaurant. “We were fortunate and committed to be able to help when so many organizations are facing a decline in charitable gifts, and when so many more people need assistance. The basis of the Columbia Community Harvest has been our family’s philosophy of living each day with passion and purpose by helping others, as we have since the Columbia was founded in 1905.”

The Columbia Restaurant Community Harvest program gives back to the communities that have supported the family business for more than 108 years. Through this program, the Columbia Restaurant donates 5% of all guests’ lunch and dinner checks to charitable organizations chosen by the customers during September. Participating locations were the seven Columbia Restaurants in Tampa’s Ybor City, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Sand Key on Clearwater Beach, Central Florida’s Town of Celebration, Columbia Café on the Riverwalk at the Tampa Bay History Center and the Columbia Restaurant Café at Tampa International Airport.

The original Columbia Restaurant was founded in Tampa’s Historic Ybor City in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., and is now Florida’s oldest restaurant. All Columbia locations are owned and operated by 4th and 5th generation members of the founding family, except for Columbia Restaurant Cafe at Tampa International Airport which is operated in partnership with HMSHost. Please see www.ColumbiaRestaurant.com for more information.